Catching Up
by Sgt. Moffitt
Summary: Epilogue to The Unsung Hero. Professor Cohen finds out what the gang from Stalag 13 has been up to in the postwar years.


_A/N: I don't own Hogan's Heroes, and I don't get paid for this; it is truly a labor of love._

For konarciq, who wanted a reunion with everyone.

* * *

October, 1952

Somewhere in the hills of Tennessee

_Down in the valley  
__Valley so low  
__Late in the evening  
__Hear the wind blow_

_Hear the wind blow, love  
__Hear the wind blow  
__Hang your head over  
__Hear the wind blow_

The rich harmony subsided and the men gathered on the porch of the old cabin were quiet for a moment. A wisp of a breeze stirred the late afternoon air, with just a hint of autumn chill behind it. Hogan tapped the harmonica against his knee - percussion was really his musical talent - and Kinch sounded a final chord on his guitar.

"Sure is pretty here," said Carter, as he took in the glorious tints of the tree-covered hills surrounding them.

"Nothing like the fall colors in Appalachia," agreed Cohen.

"It is nice," allowed Kinch. "But autumn in Michigan is beautiful too. My folks have a cottage in Baldwin, and it's gorgeous there this time of year."

"I beg to differ, gents, but autumn in New England is legendary. Now, in Connecticut..." Hogan began, only to be interrupted by Carter.

"Boy, you should see Indiana..."

"Steady on! We have autumn colors in England, too, you know," huffed Newkirk.

"_Oui,_ I've seen them," said LeBeau. "But _l'automne_ is beautiful everywhere, I think."

"Even in Germany?" asked Carter.

They all pondered this for a bit.

"The thing is," said Kinch, "We were so busy with the operation, we didn't have much opportunity to enjoy the scenery."

"And when we were outside the wire, it was generally dark," added Carter.

"And I don't know about you blokes, but it always seemed like winter at Stalag 13," said Newkirk. "D'you ever remember a time when snow wasn't on the ground?"

They all looked at each other and shrugged.

After a moment Hogan said, "Well, Professor, it's been very kind of you to have all of us here at your little retreat."

"Glad to share it with you guys. My family visited Tennessee often when I was a kid, and I learned to love it here." said Cohen. "When I brought Hilda to this area in '48, she loved it too - said it reminded her of her grandparents' home in Austria. So we bought the cabin as a place to get away from the city."

"Did Hilda mind staying behind with the kiddies?" asked Newkirk.

"No...in fact, this was her idea. She said the families will all be getting together next week, but she figured we guys needed some time alone. She said she knew we wouldn't be able to speak freely with the families around."

"True," said Hogan. "Wise woman. Our operation is still classified, after all. It's nice to get together with you guys, and not have to worry about saying anything we shouldn't. Not to say we don't miss the wives and kids," he added hastily.

"Perish the thought!" laughed Kinch. "Say, would you like to see some pictures?"

Six wallets were whipped out, and pictures of offspring were duly passed around and admired.

Newkirk peered at a photo proudly displayed by Cohen. "No offense, mate, but it's a ruddy good thing that they take after Hilda instead of you."

Carter looked up from one of Newkirk's pictures and grinned. "Peter, we are all lucky that our wives are better looking than we are."

While the pictures were being passed around, Hogan said, "Well, let's get caught up on things. James, I understand you've bought a radio station."

"Yep, General...I mean, Rob. Two actually, one in Detroit, and one in Toledo. But someday, we're going to head somewhere warmer. Fall in Michigan is one thing, but winter can be brutal. My wife wants to go to Hawaii someday."

"Andrew, I don't need to ask about you. I've been reading about A.J. Charteris, famed character actor of stage and screen."

"Thanks!" Carter beamed. "Mostly screen, now. I've got a contract with Warner Brothers."

Cohen sighed and shook his head. "And there goes one of my most promising students...leaving the legitimate theater for the bright lights of Hollywood."

"Sorry, Professor, but a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do."

"I am not surprised at your success, _mon ami,"_ said LeBeau generously. "Your impersonations of German officers were _formidable._"

"And I don't need to ask about you, either, Louis." Hogan turned towards the Frenchman. "I understand you've become quite the recording star."

"I have been most fortunate," LeBeau said, shrugging. "I started singing at one of my restaurants, and the rest, as they say, is _l'histoire."_

"No need to be modest, mate! I've 'eard your records, and they're bloody marvelous." Newkirk lit up a cigarette and blew a smoke ring, watching it drift off.

"How about you, Peter?" Cohen asked, as he adjusted one of the tuning pegs on his banjo.

"I'm on the telly."

"The what?" Five voices spoke in unison.

Newkirk looked around at all of them with some exasperation. "The telly! The bloody television! Now, don't tell me you Yanks didn't realize we have television across the pond."

"Ah, no, we weren't thinking that. Just never heard the expression before," explained Cohen hurriedly. "We call it TV if we call it anything at all. Not that many folks have it yet."

"Television, huh?" Carter regarded his old friend with an air of disapproval. As a member of the motion picture industry, he naturally felt some suspicion of the new entertainment medium.

Noting this, Kinch interposed quickly. "How did you get started in that, Peter? I thought you were still headlining at the London Palladium."

"Well, truth be told, I was, then some bloke from the BBC saw me acting as master of ceremonies one night. He was getting set to produce a variety program, and thought I might be just the ticket to be the host. So every Sunday night, there I am...still at the Palladium, but on television."

Hogan had been listening quietly to this exchange, but now he looked at Newkirk and nodded. "Yeah, I can see it. Still a live performance; bigger audience, though. You think this TV thing is gonna catch on?"

"Catch on! Guv'nor, you've no idea!" Newkirk's gaze became slightly unfocused for a moment, as though he saw a vision none of the others could see.

LeBeau cleared his throat, and then asked the group at large, "Have any of you heard from Olsen, or Wilson? And what of Baker and Thomas?"

Kinch replied, "Wilson and Thomas are both in Korea. Wilson went to med school on the GI Bill; said he was the oldest one in his class! He's there as a surgeon in a MASH unit. Thomas went to seminary and he's an Air Force chaplain now. Seems he has a cousin who's an Army chaplain with a MASH unit...guess that's what got him interested in going over there."

Hogan picked up the tale. "Baker's in Korea too, with a communications unit. He's a captain now. Olsen, now, he's still with the military, but in some hush-hush capacity...even I don't know what, and if I did, I couldn't tell you."

The other five nodded solemnly.

Carter looked at Hogan. "Ever hear from Klink and Schultz? And Langenscheidt?"

"Schultz, I'm sorry to say, passed away at his home in Heidelberg a couple of years ago. His kids are running the toy factory now. Klink's working with UNICEF in Europe as some kind of financial advisor. Langenscheidt...well, as far as Klink knows, after he showed up in March of '45 at the camp, he disappeared. Klink suspects he didn't survive the end of the war."

Cohen knew better, but he kept quiet. Langenscheidt, aka Nimrod, was still with MI6, although the last time he had spoken with Cohen, he had hinted at some kind of collaboration with a fellow by the name of Ian Fleming. What the project was, Cohen had no idea. Only time would tell.

Hogan turned his attention to Cohen and grinned. "We know what kind of mess Hilda got into...hear anything from Helga?"

Cohen said vaguely, "Oh, her home is in Switzerland, she travels a lot...we see her every now and then; she's doing well." In truth, he knew that she and Nimrod were together, but he was obviously unable to elaborate on this; besides, Hilda would have his hide if he was indiscreet.

Hogan's eyebrows went up but he didn't push for more information.

"_Et vous, mon Général?_ Have you news to report?"

Hogan said, "As a matter of fact, I do."

Kinch said bluntly, "Korea?"

Hogan shook his head. "No, I've just been appointed USAF representative to the United Nations Military Staff Committee. I have some ideas about how America needs to use her military and economic might in the world; hopefully to keep the peace, and not to make war." He sighed. "It won't happen in my lifetime, maybe not even in my kids' lifetime, but someday..."

He looked at the serious faces around him and smiled. "Professor, how about another song?"

Cohen nodded. "You got it." He strummed a few notes, and then began singing softly, with the others joining in, one by one.

_Gonna lay down my sword and shield  
__Down by the riverside  
__Down by the riverside  
__Down by the riverside  
__Gonna lay down my sword and shield  
__Down by the riverside  
__Ain't gonna study war no more_


End file.
